Multiple optical fusion-image based method and apparatus for diagnosing brain tumor in real-time

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for diagnosing a brain tumor in real-time are disclosed. A method for detecting a brain tumor in real-time can comprise the steps of: generating, by a probe, a plurality of input signals and transferring the same to a target detection region which is estimated to be the location of a brain tumor; receiving, by the probe, a plurality of reflection signals on the basis of a plurality of input signals; and detecting, by the probe, a plurality of the received reflection signals, wherein a plurality of the input signals comprise a terahertz signal, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal, and a Raman signal, and a plurality of the reflection signals can be used for generating a plurality of image information for detecting the location of a brain tumor; and an apparatus for diagnosing a brain tumor in vitro and in real-time, can be used to diagnose, in real-time, a brain tumor specimen, which is extracted from the brain.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for detecting a brain tumor in real-time, the method comprising:
 producing a plurality of input signals and transferring the input signals to a target detection area where the brain tumor is estimated to be positioned, by a probe; 
 receiving a plurality of reflected signals based on the plurality of input signals, by the probe; and 
 detecting the plurality of reflected signals received, by the probe, wherein the plurality of input signals include a terahertz signal, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal, and a Raman signal, and wherein the plurality of reflected signals are used to produce information about a plurality of images to detect the position of the brain tumor, wherein the plurality of input signals further include a fluorescent signal, and wherein the terahertz signal is an electromagnetic wave in the form of a continuous wave or pulse wave having a frequency band ranging from 0.05 THz to 30 THz, the OCT signal is a signal with a wavelength ranging 600 nm to 1400 nm produced by a broadband wavelength light source for optical coherence tomography, the Raman signal is a signal with a wavelength ranging from 200 nm to 1400 nm produced by a broadband wavelength light source for Raman spectroscopy and imaging, and the fluorescent signal is a signal produced based on a contrast medium, wherein the plurality of reflected signals are total-reflected or transmitted by an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass, and wherein among the plurality of reflected signals, the terahertz signal is total-reflected by the ITO glass, and the OCT signal, the Raman signal, and the fluorescent signal are transmitted through the ITO glass, wherein the plurality of images include a first image, a second image, and a third image, and wherein the first image is a image produced based on the terahertz signal, the second image is an image produced based on the OCT signal, the Raman signal, and the fluorescent signal, and the third image is a fusion image of the first image and the second image. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 producing a plurality of second input signals and transferring the second input signals to a brain tumor sample, by an in-vitro real-time brain tumor diagnosing apparatus; 
 receiving a plurality of second reflected signals based on the plurality of second input signals, by the in-vitro real-time brain tumor diagnosing apparatus; and 
 producing information about a plurality of images for the brain tumor sample based on the plurality of second reflected signals, by the in-vitro real-time brain tumor diagnosing apparatus, wherein the plurality of second input signals include a second terahertz signal, a second OCT signal, and a second Raman signal, and wherein each of the plurality of second input signals shares the same signal source as a respective one of the plurality of input signals.